Manchester’s Wildest Festival

After waiting for three years, the Manchester Festival of Nature finally returned to Heaton Park. Alan Wright celebrates the day.

In 2019, 7,000 people turned up for the first Manchester Festival of Nature at Heaton Park. We had such high hopes of building MFoN into one of biggest nature festivals in the UK, then all of our worlds came crashing to a halt with the pandemic. While there have been two virtual festivals, MFoN 2022 was our target for in-person engagement again or, in layman’s terms, telling everyone what an amazing place Manchester is for wildlife.

MFoN is an opportunity to introduce people to the diverse plants and creatures that live here and to show them how to get involved with the many conservation organisations that operate within the region. It also explains how their own actions, like recycling, gardening and feeding the birds make a difference.

So the day came and as we were setting up for a noon start, we realised that families were already getting involved. One of the rules of MFoN is that every one of the 20 stalls needs to offer an activity, and they were already busy at 11am!

Thousands of people poured into the festival garden to the soundtrack of the amazing Solar DJ and the Flat Cap 3 band, and took part into more than 30 different activities, to introduce them to the wonderful nature of Manchester.

Right at the centre of MFoN was the super talented mural artist Venessa Scott (above right), creating a beautiful pathway through the park garden with the help of many budding young artists.

The festival is made up of the top organisations around conservation, nature and recycling in Manchester. It involved the Wildlife Trusts, The Conservation Volunteers, Manchester Museum, Action for Conservation, Wilder Being, Groundwork, RSPB, City of Trees, Canal and River Trust, Mersey Rivers Trust, Woodland Trust, Perfect Peatlands, Moor for the Future, South Pennines Park, Manchester Metropolitan Museum, the Blue Cross, My Wild City, MyPlace and Wythenshawe Waste Warriors.

The Manchester Nature Consortium’s Youth Panel had a busy stall and met and interviewed a number of people around MFoN. And a wonderful group of volunteers made sure the whole thing ran smoothly.

St John’s Ambulance not only provided first aid cover, they also trained around 100 people in basic first aid.

Corporate stalls from Toyota and Northstone, became a part of the festival with their brilliant activities and Parklife paid for the new flags, while flowers appeared from the Manchester Day Parade courtesy of Manchester City Council and Walk the Plank. This is a huge opportunity for organisations and businesses to show off their environmental credentials and the more they get involved the more they actually want to expand their green agenda. It’s a great opportunity for staff to interact with the public and to gauge how they feel about environmental issues.

We want to introduce our visitors to Manchester’s nature and the people who are doing so much to conserve it.

Our visitors were still around after the official closing time at 4pm, on group posing with the large flowers that we created for Manchester Day. It was a relief to finally hold Manchester Festival of Nature number two, and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces – some of which were painted with bees and butterflies.

Heaton Park is a wonderful venue for this event that will grow and grow in the coming years. Our sponsors and supporters have proved they believe in MFoN, now we can see if more people want to join in our wild ride in 2023.

The Wildlife Trusts

All Photography by: Paul Heyes

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 30,500 members, and over 1,500 volunteers. To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129

By Paul Cusimano, Joseph Clothing, Lancaster

One of my fondest childhood memories was watching a cartoon series called ‘Mr Benn’. The bowler hatted everyman lived an ordinary suburban life at 52 Festive Road but his life would be contrasted whilst visiting a local costume shop

The shop keeper always appeared as if by magic. Mr Benn would choose a costume to try on and he would be transported to a different world on a new adventure connected to the outfit he had tried on. He always found his way back to the changing room, safe and sound, where he would change back into his own clothes and return to his own life on leaving the shop.

Although I have never been a red knight, a wizard, a spaceman or a diver, just some of the thirteen different adventures Mr Benn experienced, I did love to play a cowboy and on the odd occasion, a soldier, as a young child. But just as each of his outfits took him on a different adventure, I have often wondered what each day would hold in store for me.

Albeit my days are considerably less adventurous than Mr Benn’s, they are generally determined by whomever may decide to pay a visit to my little shop on any given day. From the famous to the infamous, actors to sports people, the retired to Chief Executives and everyone between,

It is this variety that is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job, along with my love of clothing. I am so privileged that in getting to spend time with the visitors I get an insight into their story. Similarly, I love to learn the story behind the other independent businesses, as they are far more than their frontage and the products or services they offer.

Commitment, passion, multitasking and long hours are the story behind every independent business, as well as the normal financial risks businesses take, and that’s without considering the implications of a global pandemic.

But there’s one incredible business owner that has transcended all the usual challenges and obstacles that are associated with running a business, Anna Sullivan.

Leaving Lancaster to obtain a degree at Sheffield University, Anna then spent a good number of years in London working as the UK Retail Coordinator for Pepe Jeans, opening stores in Carnaby Street, Neal Street, Portobello, King Street and Oxford Street, before managing their Concessions in Selfridges in the north of England, which entailed being relocation to Manchester.

Something Will Always Catch Your Eye

Anna decided to take her foot off the accelerator after starting a family, and moved back to Lancaster. After a couple of years she returned to retailing where she put to good use her wealth of experience. Four years ago she took over the business, ‘The Exchange’ Lancaster.

‘The Exchange’ is located on King Street and is a pre-loved designer clothing agency that also specialises in designer bags/luggage, footwear and accessories. Pre-pandemic, I was aware of the business but I had never visited it. It was during the summer of twenty-twenty, that I popped in to meet Anna having had a number of phone conversations during the first Lockdown.

Of course, my eyes immediately began to wonder. The selection was fantastic and given that there, for the most part, is only one of any given item, merchandising the shop one would expect, would be very difficult. No. Rather cleverly, they

Open & Proud

block garments together by ‘colour’. Easy on the eye, regardless of garment type and fabrics used. It invites you to look, explore the rails and shelves. Not cluttered or fussy. Chic.

The greatest surprises were yet to come. One, the brands: Armani, Chanel, Fendi, Ganni, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Prada, Valentino and Westwood adorn the shelves and rails. Two, the condition; you really are hard pushed to tell that they have ever been used. Some are brand new and still have the labels attached. Even the footwear presented little sign of use.

These products simply redefine the term “pre-loved”, with the emphasis firmly on the ‘loved’ whilst having been really cared for.

But it is not by chance that the products just happen to be like this. They have been selected because of their condition and authenticity.

This brings me nicely to Three, product knowledge. It is easy for me to ensure all my products are authentic because I buy direct from the brands, or their appointed UK Agents. A lot of counterfeits are good now, but Anna will guarantee all their products are ‘authentic’, giving her customers complete confidence.

Determination is another attribute required when running your own business and one I deliberately left out earlier. Anna, along with her lovely team, Jess and Alison, has had to demonstrate determination in abundance...

Following being shut for a total of thirty weeks in less than a thirteen month period, retailers were hoping that was the end of the Lockdowns. But further challenges lay ahead to test Anna.

Late summer of twenty-twenty one, The Exchange was broken into. Extra security measures were installed. A second break-in was to follow. Before additional measures could be installed a third break-in, in as many months. It is fair to say that it was not only the business community in the District that was shocked and horrified but the wider community also. The feelings of revulsion were palpable.

Again, The Exchange was unable to trade for varying periods of time because of the damages incurred and the delays in getting additional security measures delivered and installed. To recap, one pandemic and three breakins during the first three years of ownership. Isn’t that enough to break anyone’s resolve ? But we are not talking about just anyone here.

Happily, ‘The Exchange’ became fortified. Anna was so looking forward to twenty-twenty two. Haven’t we all looked forward to the New Year - New Year, new start, and all that.

In the early hours of the seventeenth of January this year, Anna was awoken by an alarm call from her shop. On logging into the shops CCTV system all she could see was water. She arrived at the shop shortly after to discover the fire brigade in attendance.

A PAT tested dehumidifier had set on fire. The Exchange was destroyed. Fire damage, smoke damage, water damage, damage caused by the fire fighters having to force access. A total mess. Sometimes things look better in the light of the day. Not this challenge. This was almost biblical.

Anna recalls, “There was just smoke, plastic smoke. It set like plastic cobwebs, everywhere. My stock was in ruins. The shop was one almighty mess but this wasn’t going to be the end of ‘The Exchange’, but it was difficult to know where to even begin“.

“I was having to deal with two separate insurance companies, one for the Buildings and one for the Business. Trying to find tradesmen who were available to start immediately was a total nightmare. The fire brigade had to smash through all my doors, and in doing so, even the door frames were damaged and had to be replaced.”

Anna had the sympathy of a City, and her customers were amazing. Patient, understand and supportive. “At one point I wasn’t sure if I could do it. This was the fourth thing in six months. I had this thing in my head that people would look at me with pitying eyes and I thought, no, I can do it. After all, what other choice did I have ? All I know how to do is make things and people look nice”, Anna added.

Multitasking and working like never before. Cleaning, sorting, insurance companies, tradesmen, customers, stock. ‘The Exchange’ has been back open for four months now, bigger, better and more secure than ever.

“Everything is going really well. My customers have been so so supportive, they’re amazing, I really can’t begin to tell you. We’ve got loads of lovely stock. I remember, despite feeling like I was drowning with everything, I was bugging customers for stuff so we would have stock for when we re-opened.”

Running your own business is a labour of love, often just to make a humble living. We don’t have off shore accounts and fancy Accountants saving us millions in taxes. We are part of our community and we support our community.

Anna Sullivan is an truly inspirational business owner. One who will not give in; one who loves her City and one who loves her business. Every day is different in retail and Lancaster is so fortunate to have ‘The Exchange’.

Harold Elletson Diary ' s

Summer is here at last and we’ve been enjoying the long, sunlit days I remember from childhood. Summer never seems quite the same when you’re older but childhood memories are always filled with sunshine. Then we seemed to be outside all day long, playing in the fields and woods, or on the seashore. We built dens, poked sticks into wasps’ nests and then ran like heck, and even went swimming on the beach at Knott End or in the ‘Big Hole,’ a collapsed salt mine at the back of Preesall.

I grew up on the coast, half a mile from the sea, in the same house I live in now, which is one of the oldest in Lancashire. It has a large garden and every day was filled with endless games of cricket in it. My brother and I were joined by our friends, mostly the sons of neighbouring farmers, and the games went on from dawn till dusk. Most often we used a tennis ball but sometimes, when we were a bit older, we got padded up and used a proper cricket ball. Whichever ball it was, we slogged it all over the place, breaking a few windows and often spending hours searching the woods after someone’s brilliant cover drive had overshot the boundary and disappeared. There were arguments about whether someone was “LB” or whether he’d got an edge and been caught behind by “Farouk Engineer” or “Alan Knott.” There were bad calls and desperate dashes to avoid being run out. And there were sixes that disappeared over the wall into the pen where the geese hissed fiercely at any child who dared to trespass on their terrain.

Once a match was arranged against a team from Croston, south of Preston. My parents were friends of the vicar and his wife, and their eldest son brought a team over. We were deadly serious but we still got hammered. They were older than us and they looked bigger. What really did for us though, much to my shame, was the condition of the pitch. The match was held on the old gala field between our house and the ancient burial mound on Lancaster Road. I suppose, in my childish imagination, I had thought that somehow miraculously, on the big day, the pitch would be like Old Trafford or Headingley. Instead, the cows had only recently left the lush pasture where they had been ruminating among the long grass. Beyond the narrow strip that had been mown that morning for the wicket was a jungle punctuated by a minefield of cow pats. We were never going to win but the tea my mum prepared was sumptious and, after the victorious Crostonians had left, we were out in the garden again, pretending to be our heroes from the test match or the county championship.

My heroes were the Lancashire team. In the summer of 1971 they became the “one-day kings.” I had seen them play in Stanley Park, in one of their seasonal visits to Blackpool, and, after much pestering, I had even been accorded the great honour

Knott End Endless games of cricket

Stanley Park, Blackpool Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester

by the wicketkeeper, Farouk Engineer, an Indian international player, of carrying his pads back to his car for him.

On one or two memorable occasions, I managed to get down to Manchester for a big game. A Mancunian couple, who had retired to Preesall, used to take me along with them on the train. I saw Peter Lever, the fast bowler from Todmorden, whose style I imagined I could imitate, score 80 at number 10 in the test match against India.

The greatest game of all, though - the greatest sporting event I have ever witnessed - was the famous Gillette Cup semi-final at Old Trafford when Lancashire beat Gloucestershire at almost nine o’clock at night.

Darkness was descending alarmingly quickly but the umpires decided to let play continue. Lancashire were a long way behind and Gloucestershire were trying to stifle the flow of runs. There was still a glimmer of hope, though. When David Hughes stepped out of the pavilion to replace Jack Simmonds, excited kids by the boundary ropes were willing him on to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It was as though an extraordinary, supernatural tension, had seized every spectator.

Hughes scored 24 runs in one over to win the game for Lancashire and secure a place in the final at Lords. When the final shot was played, the crowds of exultant kids didn’t even wait for the ball to reach the boundary before rushing onto the pitch. For a long time, the chorus of “Oh, Lancashire is wonderful” rang out through the magical night air as we left Old Trafford and made our way home.

Our garden was the setting for another magical sporting experience of a different kind. My father engaged a man called Fred Hughes, who had played rugby league for Wales, to lay some gravel on the paths. I think his sales pitch was that the gravel would prevent weeds from ever growing again, a notion which amused my father greatly.

Fred brought his two sons with him. The eldest of them was only helping out as a holiday job. His name was Emlyn and his real job was as a professional footballer. He had left Blackpool a few years earlier and now he was playing for Liverpool, which he was soon to captain. He was to go on to captain England too.

Here he was on our back lawn. Whenever he and his brother stopped for their ‘baggins,’ my brother and I would be out there pestering him.

“Emlyn, why don’t you leave Liverpool? Why don’t you come back here? You could play for Blackpool again. Or Preston. Then we could come and see you all the time!”

“Emlyn, will you play football with us?”

“Emlyn, will you show us keepy-uppy again?”

The two lads chuckled and Emlyn smiled his broad, good-natured smile. Then we had a kickabout with our own football legend.

The gravel is still there and so are the weeds.

Cricket - The Greatest One Day Game

“Whose rules are you following in life?”

Once we become aware of our “hidden rulebook”, developed in our formative years, it’s really interesting to see it at play. Not only have I been witness to the rules of my own life playing out, I see it so clearly in others

Those rules mean that we have the same type of dysfunctional relationships over and over; it may mean that we are constantly yo-yo dieting; we keep moving forward and backward with our businesses or some other situation that we repeat over and over.

For the longest time, I was stuck in the insidious trap of yo-yo dieting. I had spent over 40 years “at war” with my body simply because of the rules that I implemented as a child to keep me safe. This is the same body that contains within it the blueprint for creating new life, that just knows how to breathe and how to heal itself. I looked outside of myself for the perfect body, when I already had all the wisdom I needed.

Those rules were implemented to keep us safe. They created our identity, who we believe we are. They keep us limited and often stuck in situations that we don’t want to be in. What we don’t realise is how those rules are really unhelpful as grownups.

In my book MINERVA Manifesto (for Women who want to Do Business, Make Money and Enjoy Life), I speak about the hidden rulebook, and I help women to become aware of their own particular rules. And, more importantly, how to make conscious changes to get what they really desire in life.

My own rulebook was heavily influenced by the environment I grew up in and that included the enormity of the media marketing machine provided by commercial television and magazines for girls/women. And now added to that is social media.

These platforms instruct us on what to eat, what to drink, what to wear and what to believe so that we can fit in. It’s so subtle, you’d be forgiven for consciously not seeing the messages. The impact on our society of these external influences has been massive. Research shows significant increases in obesity, poverty, depression, anxiety and suicides in the last 40 years.

When it came to creating the Thrive & Grow community for female entrepreneurs and business owners, I was adamant that its usage would be purposeful. Every woman visiting would be doing so for a purpose. Whether that is to connect with other members and to share information on their businesses; to gain knowledge and access to business mentors enabling them to take action in their business; or to become a MINERVA Success Pod member giving them accountability and support as they implement their own MINERVA Manifesto™ and unique blueprint for success.

My Thrive & Grow (www. thriveandgrow.club) business partner, Judith Wright and myself spent a year refining our business operating model using the research that contributed to the MINERVA Manifesto™ book and over 60 years of business experience between us. Our purpose is to help women create a life and business that they absolutely love.

My own significant shift came when

My Obvious Next Step...

I started to build my businesses based on my true nature; that is, doing what energises me most and is matched to doing what I love to do.

When we start our businesses, the traditional way tells us that we have to do everything and when we make enough money, we can bring in other people to help us. The irony is that attempting to do everything is what stops us blossoming and creating that income we desire! It turns us into plate-spinners and can rapidly have us heading for burnout.

When you choose the traditional way of doing business it will feel like hard work. In MINERVA terms, you have created a negative vision. It often goes hand in hand with “when I then I’ll…” for example, “When I have done my marketing, sales, finances, business admin, social media posting then I’ll get to do what I love.” For most people this can become overwhelming, sucking precious energy from them.

What we do with our MINERVA Success Pods is to help women identify what they truly excel at and then put in place strategies to ensure that they are doing it as quickly as possible.

Our approach is radically different. We don’t teach you the “how to” that is commonplace with other providers, think 6 and 7 figure programmes. What we teach as an absolute fundamental is how to define success for yourself, rewriting the rulebook of your life to have your unique version of success with ease, grace and flow.

The key secret I will share with you is to “be it to see it” now. You become the identity of the you who has already achieved your success and you do that by encoding those feelings into your psyche. It takes a very simple daily practice that we teach to our advanced members once they have developed their awareness of their rulebook.

In my own daily practice, once I have connected to my version of success, I ask myself “what is my obvious next step with this”, sometimes the answer is available immediately, other times I have to sit with the question. The answer always comes.

When women commit to doing business, making money and enjoying life - all on their own terms - the results they achieve are life-transforming. Over the last three months I have observed Laura becoming much more confident, working less hours and focusing on doing what she loves. The result is an increase in revenue of 50%. She visibly looks less stressed, spends more time with friends and has a renewed enthusiasm for her business.

In starting my own new venture, Goddess Style and Design, I can honestly say that it has been the easiest start-up that I have been through. I’m learning new skills, exploring a completely new market and having so much fun with it. None of this would have happened had I not created my own MINERVA Manifesto™ and my unique success blueprint.

For me, this month, my obvious next step is to share information about the MINERVA Manifesto™ and invite women who resonate with wanting to Do Business, Make Money and Enjoy Life, on their own terms, to book a Strategy Call with me. Check out our website www.thriveandgrow.club for more details.

WHALLEY

By Sarah Ridgway

The picturesque village of Whalley sits on the banks of the river Calder and is in the heart of the beautiful Ribble Valley.

The stunning Forest of Bowland which is designated as an area of outstanding beauty surrounds it. The charming village is awash with historic buildings, and stunning architecture, and boasts a vibrant hub of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. There is a strong sense of community with many volunteerled groups, and nearly all retailers are independently owned by local people. It is not surprising that in 2016 the desirable location made it onto the Sunday Times Best 50 Places to Live in Britain and was the only Lancashire Village to do so.

Whalley’s impressive array of quirky independent businesses attracts visitors from all over including celebrities. Hollywood actor Sam Neill who is famous for his role in the Jurassic Park franchise has a connection to this Lancashire village. After paying a visit to The Whalley Wine Shop the actor asked if they would stock his wine range in the shop. The Whalley Wine Shop was opened in 2010 by local Tom Jones agreed to the actor’s request. Neill paid another surprise visit in 2015 in between filming for Peaky Blinders in Manchester to check how his wines were selling.

Whalley is known to have existed since 1066, and many buildings in the area date back to the 13th Century including the Parish Church of Saint Mary and All Saints. There are twentythree more listed buildings in the village, and King Street showcases many fine examples of Tudor and Georgian architecture.

Portfield Hill, known as Planes Wood Camp, is an ancient hillfort believed to date from the Late Bronze or Iron Age. The prehistoric site is an important archaeological site and one of over 140 scheduled monuments in Lancashire.

Bronze-Age artefacts were found in 1966 by workmen who were laying new pipes. The hoard included two axes, a knife, and a gold bracelet believed to be of Irish craftsmanship and dating from the mid to late Bronze age. More items were uncovered in the early 1970s, and replicas of these items can be seen in the Blackburn Museum and Ribchester Roman Museum.

A strong sense of community spirit runs through the village, with many volunteer-led groups, that help run events throughout the year and keep Whalley looking ship-shaped. Whalley in Bloom is a community group that uses its green fingers to keep its spaces and plants blooming. The group work hard to fill the village with colour making it a wonderful place to live and visit. The Whalley in Bloom volunteers known locally as the Lavender Ladies also play a role in raising funds for projects with local events and activities. Whalley in Bloom was founded in 2011 and has won awards at the prestigious RHS in Bloom competition, and in 2019 won Gold at the National Britain in Bloom Awards.

The Whalley Pickwick festival began in 1988 and is a much-loved event held every December. The festival is run by volunteers with the profit reinvested into the local community. The Dickensian-themed event named after The Pickwick Papers is full of activities and entertainment, including pipe and brass bands, Morris dancing, and a visit from Father Christmas. The village has over 30 indoor and outdoor stalls selling a variety of festive fayre, hot food, and a tombola.

THE TEMPERAMENTAL RIVER CALDER

On Boxing Day 2015 while most people were settling down after Christmas; many residents of Whalley were being evacuated from their homes after the Met Office issued a red weather warning. Due to the ferocious force of Storm Eva, the River Calder burst its banks and rose 2.5 metres above its normal level. Homes and businesses began barricading their properties with sandbags, and the police, army and fire brigade were called in. Boats were required to rescue residents from their homes. Up to 196 properties were flooded, and King Street was submerged in water, with businesses and local farms suffering severe damage. The Whalley Community Hydro, a small water hydro station that produces £550 electricity a day was also damaged. The building was submerged by flood water, but thankfully, it was quickly repaired and was up and running by 31st December. A local volunteer group the Whalley Lions were praised for working relentlessly to organize aid for the affected residents. After the incident, a six-year plan was organised, with an investment of £120 million in Lancashire flood defences National Flood Resilience A review was also ordered to improve safeguarding the country from future flooding.

In February 2020 Storm Ciara said to be “the biggest storm this century” paid an unwelcome visit to Whalley. The storm caused further destruction to the area, with over 70 properties flooded. People were again told to evacuate their homes, and many residents needed to be rescued by boat. Due to the torrential downpour the electricity was shut off, and people sought refuge by staying with family and friends elsewhere until it was deemed safe to return.

The Whalley Viaduct is a listed structure and is a stunning example of Victorian railway engineering. The viaduct known locally as the Whalley Arches is a Grade II listed structure. The impressive construction was built between 1846 and 1850 in red and blue bricks. The viaduct has 48 grand arches, two of which incorporate a unique decorative brick infill. The viaduct’s design at that time was considered ground-breaking and was built by the Blackburn and Bolton railway company. Terrence Wolfe Flanagan was the chief engineer, and the line opened on Saturday 22 June 1850, and it transports the Blackburn to Clitheroe railway line 550 metres across the Ribble Valley.

The viaduct is 600 yards long and sits 70 feet above the valley, with its construction requiring over six million bricks and over 12,000 cubic yards of stone. During the build, two of the arches collapsed and caused three fatalities, with heavy rain to blame for causing dampness to the brickwork. In 2016 a renovation project costing £1.6m was implemented to strengthen the arches. 2,800 steel brackets were installed, alongside a new drainage system on the ground floor as a flood prevention method.

THE MONKS OF WHALLEY ABBEY

The ancient ruins of Whalley Abbey sit on the banks of the river Calder at the edge of the village. The unique attraction is visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year. In 1296 the Cistercian monks of Stanlow Abbey, which sat on the banks of the river Mersey needed to relocate. The monks of Stanlow had suffered storms and flooding, and they asked the pope to move them to a better location. In 1296 the Pope agreed to the request, and the monks moved to Whalley.

There was already an existing chapel on the site, which was built by the rector of Whalley, and the monks incorporated the building into the new monastery. In June 1296, Henry de Lacy, the 10th Baron of Halton laid the first foundation stone of the new abbey. The stone for the buildings were sourced from two local quarries, Read and Simonstone, and the monks obtained a royal licence in 1339 to build a crenelated wall around the site.

The gatehouse was constructed between 1296 and 1310 and still stands. The gatehouse set the boundaries between the monastery and employed a gatekeeper who prevented unauthorised visitors from gaining access. The gatekeeper would also keep watch for any unusual activity and provided basic defence during military times and political unrest. It was very common for beggars and poor travellers to turn up at the monastery seeking food or assistance. Therefore, the gatekeeper would be responsible for allocating food and drink for them.

The church was completed in 1380, but the process was slow, and the rest of the abbey was not completed until the 1440s. The abbey closed in 1537 as a part of the dissolution of monasteries which was a legal process between 1536 and 1541. The act by King Henry VIII closed monasteries, priories, friaries and convents in England, Wales, and Ireland. The king subsequently confiscated their income to initially increasing revenue to the Crown. Most of the seized assets instead funded Henry’s military crusades in the 1540s. By the end of the 16th century, monasticism had almost been eradicated in the

European states with a Protestant faith, Ireland remained the only exception. John Paslew, the remaining abbot, disputed this act and was ultimately executed at Lancaster for treason.

In 1553 the land and the manor of Whalley were sold. John Braddyll of Brockhall and Richard Assheton of Lever, near Bolton bought them for around £2,151. The pair divided the land, with Assheton taking the monastic site and buildings. The infirmary’s buildings and abbot’s house were torn down, and the stone was used to construct a new manor house. In the 17th century, most of the remaining church and monastic buildings were demolished. The manor house went through a succession of owners, and around 1900 the house and its land were bought by Sir John Travis Cragg. In 1923 the Church of England bought the manor house, which is now owned by The Anglican Diocese of Blackburn.

The abbey continues to attract tourists who can wander through the ruins and savour the tranquil location. Visitors can even book a guided tour led by resident monks. At the southern end of the south transept, the remains of the monks’ night stairs can be found, along with three medieval gravestones, one a prior named Thomas Wood and another a monk named John Walton. The north transept is a larger area with three chapels on its east side.

There are fragments of more medieval gravestones, and the foundations of two large piers that supported the crossing tower. The west range is the best-preserved part of the abbey, and in the north ambulatory visitors can find a gravestone bearing the arms of the De Lacy Family, the original founders of the abbey. A skeleton was found under the gravestone when the area was excavated in the 1930s and is believed to be one of the founder’s family.

Today the house is a retreat centre offering a place of welcome and prayer, where guests can stay at the 4-star bed and breakfast, with 17 en-suite bedrooms. Visitors can book retreats ranging from yoga, and mindfulness, supper clubs with guest speakers, and prayer retreats.